“Carol,” my friend quizzically began, “what are you and your kids painting on the wall of your garage?” My children and I were throwing large orange brush strokes over the white drywall. “This is our recreation of the Aurora Borealis in Alaska!” I gushed. “Wow....

Twenty-seven years ago today, I sat on the couch in our living room watching the neighborhood children walk excitedly by on the way to their first day of kindergarten and I cried. We had decided to homeschool our little guy and I was scared. Was I doing the right...